Mercury seal



J'. M. HAIT MERCURY SEAL Julyv 18, 1939.

Filed April 54o, 1958 l l SWW/HAGO@ cfa/7765 JV. Hal/tf Patented July 18; 1939 MERCURY SEAL James'M.y Halt, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner to Food Machinery Corporation, a corporation of Delaware n f a Application April so, 193s, serial Np. 205,306

lof claims.

`This invention relates generally to sealing devices, particularly liquid sealssuch as are used vinsealing the junction of a rotating shaft and a stationary member.

This invention is particularly designed for use in `combination with a well turbine pump of the type utilizing a submersible motor. The motor housing is ordinarily completelyA filled with an incompressible lubricating fluid which is en- 10, trapped in the housing by means of a sealing compound, such asmercury, in the seal. Theseal functions to prevent external'iluid from entering the housing and to prevent the internal fluid from escaping from the housing. While the seal is par- 15 ticularly designed for use in connection with a submersible motor and is shown and described in connection therewith, it is contemplated that the seal is adaptable for use in other structures where conditions require the' use of a liquid seal.

The `ordinary mercury seal in use at the present time in submersible pumps comprises a single cup'for holding the liquid and a single dipper which is partially submerged inthe mercury'contained in the cup. One of these elements is pmounted on the shaft and rotates therewith, while theother element is stationary. With this construction the relative Velocity of the sealing members `(the 'cupand the dipper)` is equal to the relative velocity between the rotating shaft and 30 the stationary supporting means. Mercury seals have a maximum relative velocity between sealing members beyond which theseal becomes ineffective. This is a disadvantage of the ordinary type sealY in that it places a limitation upon shaft speeds where shafts are used in conjunction with aseal. In the type of seal now commonly used. shaft speeds in excess of 1760 R. P. M. have been found impracticable. I

Therefore it is a primary object of this invention to provide a liquid seal wherein a relatively high shaft speed is permissible withoutproducing a relative velocity between the sealing members of a liquid seal equal to the relative velocity between the 'rotating shaft and the stationary 45 housing or encasement means.

It is an object of this invention to provide a seal which is effective for shafts rotating at approximately twice the maximum shaft speeds `permissible with` the ordinary type of seal. In this i connection, it is"` an object of this invention to provide a seal-intwhich the relative velocity of the sealing members of the seal is only approximately one-half the relative velocity of the shaft to the stationary elements housing the shaft.`

55.*; Y yThese and other objects-will be apparent from.

the drawing and the following description thereof.` Referring to the drawing, which is for illustrative purposes only:

1 is a sectional elevation of a submersible well pump showing one form of seal of this invention in combination with a submersible motor and motor shaft.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of another form ofI seal of this invention. V

Fig. 3 is a sectional elevation of a third form of seal of this invention.

More particularly describing the invention, `reference numeral II generally indicates a delivery pipe of the pump which leads to and'is supported at the surface of the ground and acts as a conduit for the pumped liquid. At the lower end of the delivery pipe is a bowl I2 adapted to house an impeller (not shown); Reference numeral I3 indicates a. suction manifold to which isconnected an `intake conduit I4 having a strainer inlet member I5 thereon.

Within the delivery pipe there is supported a submersible motor I6 by means of ribs I'I. Connecting the motor and the impeller within the bowl I2 is the shaft I8. This shaft is supported by suitable bearings within the motor and withiny the impeller, one of the motor bearings being indicated by reference numeral I9. I I

In the form of the invention shown in Fig. 1 the motor housing, indicated by reference numeral 20, has at its lower end a downwardly ex-. tending cylindrical portion 2| which is reduced in diameter and which acts as a housing for the seal of this invention. This portion 2 I is internal- 1y threaded at 22 to accommodate a lower mercury cup 23. A suitable gasket 24 is interposedl between an internal flange 25 on the cylindrical portion 2| and a shoulder 26 of the cup 23.

The cup 23 has an upwardly extending inner' annular wall 28 and an upwardly extending outer annular wall 29 which together with the lower portionof the cup form a chamber 3|) adapted to hold mercury 3l.

The cylindrical portion 2| of the motor housing is provided with an internal annular flange 33 which has an annular bearing seat 34 to ac. commodate a ball bearing generally indicated by reference numeral 35. Supported by the inner race ofy this bearing is a floating member generally indicated by reference numeral 39. ThisV member has formed at its upper end amercury cup generally indicated by reference numeral 31 which comprises the inner annular wall portion 38 and the outer annular wall portion 39. The wall portions and39 form a chamber 40 for 2 l adomos the reception of mercury 3|. The cup l1 will be referred to as an upper" cup. The floating member I6 is threaded at 42 to accommodate' a downwardly extending dipper member 43. -This dipper extends downwardly into the mercury in the stationary cup 23. Mounted on the shaft I8 and adapted to rotate therewith is a rotating dipper member 44 which extends downwardly into the mercury in the upper cup I1.

With the construction Just outlined, there is provided a lower stationary mercury cup 2l and an upper oating mercury cup 31. The dipper extending into the poll of mercury 3i in the lower stationary cup 21 is a floating dipper and rotates u with the upper mercury cup I1. The upper dipper \44, being mounted on thefshaft, rotates therewith. There is thus interposed between the rotating upper dipper 44 operating at shaft speed and the stationary lower cup 23 the floating element 86 comprising the upper mercury cup I1 and the lower dipper 4I which is driven by the friction of the mercury between the rotating dipper 44 and the upper cup 31. 'I'he frictin of the mercury in the lower stationary cup 2l tends u to stop the rotation. 'I'he result assuming that the mercury is at the same depth in each cup, is

' .'that the -floating element I6 tends to rotate at approximately one-half the shaft speed. It can thus be seen -that the relative velocity of the sealn lrig portions of the seal, that is, the dipper and cup in the respective upper and lower seals, is approximately one-half of the relative velocity of the shaft and stationary elements of the motor housing through which the shaft passes.

In Fig. 2 another form of the inention is shown wherein an upper and lower seal is used. the upper seal having a floating dipper and the lower seal having a floating cup, as distinguished from the previously described form of the invention u shown in Fig. l where a floating upper cup and a floating lower dipper is employed.

Referring to Fig. 2 the motor housing. here designated by reference numeral 60 extends downwardly to form a cylindrical portion 6I which has a a reduced portion at its lower end forming a dipper 62. An intermediate portion 63 of the housing forms a bearing seat 64 wherein is positioned a ball bearing 66. Mounted on the inner race of the ball bearing is a floating member, genw erally indicated by reference numeral 66. The lower portion of this floating member 66 forms a lower mercury cup 51 while the upper portion terminates in an upper dipper 68. The floating member 56 comprises an annular plate 60 which 55 is internally and externally threaded to accommodate the lower mercury cup 61 and an upwardly extending upper dipper supporting member 6i which has a reduced th'readed end 62. The dipper 58 is threaded into this reduced end w 62 and depends therefrom.

An upper mercury cup, generally designated by reference numeral 64, is mounted on the shaft i6 and rotates therewith. Each of the cups is.

adapted to hold mercury 3i.

In the operation of this form of the seal, the hosting member 66 forms an upper dipper 66 for the upper mercury cup 64 mounted on the shaft and also forms the lower mercury cup 51 which cooperates with the dipper portion 52 formed on 70 the lower extremity of the motor housing extension Il. In this construction the floating member rotates at approximately half the speed of the shaft as described in' connection with the form of the invention shown in Fig. l so that in the u case of each seal the relative velocity of the sealing members (cup and dipper) to each other is approximately one-half the relative velocity ot the shaft Il to the motor l0. Explicitly, the upper cup rotates at shaft speed, while the upper dipper member corresponding with that cup operates at approximately one-half shaft speed. The lower cup rotates with the upper dipper at approximately one-half the shaft speed while the lower dipper is stationary. The mercury 3i is of course contained in each of the cups. 1g

Referring to Fig. 3 for details of another form of the invention wherein both dippers are mounted for floating movement, reference numeral 6l indicates the moto'r' housing which has an extended portion 49 terminating in a reduced u lower end 16. The lower end is internally threaded to support a lower mercury cup 1i.

The reduced lower end 1li has an internal bearing seat 12 to accommodate the ball bearing 1l. Mounted on the inner race of the ball bearing is ,o a floating member 14, the lower end of which forms a lower dipper 16 which extends into the lower cup 1i. The upper portion of the floating member 14 forms an upper dipper 16 which c0- operates with an upper cup member 11 mounted 25 upon and rotating with shaft I6. The elements of the floating member 14 comprise an annular body member 1I which is externally threaded at each end so that the dipper may be threaded on the lower end and the upper dipper supporting o member 80 may be threaded on the upper end. The upper dipper supporting member 80 has a reduced upper end Il which is internally threaded to accommodate the upper dipper 16.

In this form of the invention both the upper and lower dippers are floating, the upper cup 11 being mounted on the shaft for rotation therewith, while the lower cup 1i is mounted on the motor housing, and consequently is stationary. The upper cup 11 rotates at shaft speed and 'w through the medium of mercury imparts rotation to the floating member 14 so that the upper dipper 16 rotates at approximately half the speed of the shaft. In this connection the lower cup being stationary, it counteracts the tendency of 5 the floating member to rotate at shaft speed. Relative velocity of the sealing elements in each case is approximately half that of the relative velocity of the shaft to the motor housing, as in the other forms of the invention. o

Although in the description of the invention mercury has been designated as the sealing liquid, it is within the scope of the invention to use some other liquid having a greater speciilc gravity than the two liquids to be separated.

The seal of this invention has been particularly shown and described for use in a submersible pump wherein the motor is located above the impellers and the shaft passes through lthe lower end of the motor housing, however, it is within o the scope of this invention to utilize the seal in submersible pumps wherein the shaft passes through the upper end of the motor housing. It is not intended therefore to limit the' invention to the exact structure shown in the drawing but 55 the invention is to be given the full scope of the following claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a liquid seal of the type described for use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto': a sealing device comprising a dipper element, and a cup element adapted to receive the dipper element; a second sealing device comprising a Adipper element. e and a cup element adapted to receive the dipper 1l element; a sealing liquid in each'of said cup elements; one of the elements of said first mentioned sealing device being mounted on said shaft and one of the elements of said second sealing device being mounted on said housing; the other elements of said sealing devices being integral and rotatably mounted in said housing independently of said shaft.

2. In a liquid seal of the type described for use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto: an upper seal comprising a cup, a sealing liquid in said cup, and a dipper extending into the sealing liquid in said cup; a lower seal comprising a cup, a sealing liquid in said cup, and a dipper extending into the sealing liquid in said cup; one of the elements comprising said upper seal being mounted on said shaft and one of the elements comprising said lower seal being mounted in said housing; one of the elements comprising said upperseal and one of the elements comprising said lower seal being integral and forming a floating member rotatably mounted in said housing.

3. In a liquid seal of the type described for use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto: a member forming a lower cup mounted in the bottom of said housing; a floating member rotatably mounted in said housing and having a dipper formed on itslower end extending into saidV lower cup and having an upper cup formed on its upper end; a dipper` member mounted on said shaft and extendingl into said upper cup; and a sealing liquid in each of said cups.

4. In a liquid seal of the type described for use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto: said housing having an extended portion surrounding said s'haft; a member forming a lower mercury cup' mounted on the lower end o! the extended portion of said housing; a iioating member rotatably mounted in the extended portion of said housing, said i oating member comprising a cup element, and

a dipper element dependingly mounted on said cup element, said dipper element extending into said lower cup; a dipper member mounted on said shaft and extending into the cup of said floating member; and mercury in each of said cups.

5. In a liquid seal of the type described for use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto: said housing having an extended portion terminating in a stationary dipper; a cup mounted on said shaft vertically spaced from said stationary dipper; a floating member rotatably mounted in said extended portion of said housing, said floating member having a cup formed on its lower end adapted to receive said stationary dipper and having a dipper member formed on its upper end adapted to extend lntosaid cup mounted on said shaft; and a sealing liquid in each of said cups.

6. In a liquid seal of the type described for use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto: said housing having an extended portion terminating in a stationary dipper; a mercury cup mounted on said shaft vertically spaced from said stationary dipper; a oating member rotatably mounted in said extended portion of said housing, said floating member comprising an internally and externally threaded annular plate, a cup threaded into said plate depending therefrom and adapted to receive said stationary dipper, a dipper supporting member threaded on said plate and extending upwardly therefrom and having a reduced internally threaded upper end portion, and a dipper threaded into said reduced portion of said dipper supporting member and extending into the mercury cup mounted on said shaft; and mercury in each of said cups.

'7. In a liquid seal of the type describedfor use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto: said housing having an extended portion surrounding said shaft; a lower cup mounted in the lower end of said extended portion; a cup rigidly mounted on said shaft vertically spaced from said lower cup; a oating member rotatably mounted in said extended portion of said housing, said fioating member having a dipper formed on its lower end adapted to extend into said lower cup and having a dipper formed on its upper end adapted t extend into the cup mounted on said shaft; and a sealing liquid in each of said cups.

8. In a liquid seal of the type'described for use in combination with a housing having a rotatable shaft extending thereinto: said housing having an extended portion terminating in a reduced internally threaded lower end portion; a lower mercury cup mounted in said lower end of said extended portion; a mercury cup rigidly mounted on said shaft vertically spaced from said lower cup; a iioating member rotatably mounted in said extended portion of said housing, said floating member comprising a body member, a dipper mounted on the lower end of said body member and adapted to extend into the lower mercury cup, a dipper supporting member mounted on the upper end of said body member and having a reduced internally threaded upper end portion,

and a dipper member dependingly mounted in said reduced upper end portion and extending into said mercury cup mounted on said shaft; and mercury in each of said cups.

9. An apparatus for forming a fluid seal between a shaft and a housing comprising: a plurality of uid sealing devices disposed in series, each of said devices including a cup -member having a body of sealing liquid therein, and a dipping member extending into said liquid; one of the members of each sealing device being united with one of the members of the adjacent sealing device, and the terminal members of said sealing devices being attached to the shaft and housing respectively; and means journalling said united members for rotation relative to both the shaft and housing.

10. In a liquid seal device for deep well pumps comprising a casing and a shaft, a plurality of cup members for holding a liquid* sealing material within said casing and surrounding said shaft, a plurality of dipper membersarranged to dip into the said liquid sealing material, one of said plurality of members having free movement relative to said casing and shaft so that the speed of rotation of said member is dependent on the frictional drag of said member due to being in contact with said sealing material, another of said members being secured to said shaft, and one member secured to the said casing.

JAMES M. HAI'I'. 

